First direct imaging of giant pores of the metal-organic framework MIL-101

The first direct imaging of giant pores of the metal-organic framework MIL-101 was discussed. The structure of MIL-101 was built up from a corner-sharing of so-called supertetrahedra (ST), which is made from the linkage of inorganic trimers and 1,4-benzene dicarboxylate (1,4-BDC) anions. The connection of ST ensures a three-dimensional network of corner-sharing ST with an augmented mobil thirty-nine (MTN) zeotype architecture. The dimensions of the MIL-101 crystals range from 100 nm up to about 1 μm. The crystals were clearly facetted, and often crosslike dark contrast lines divide the facetted surface according to the projected symmetry along the electron beam.